Apparatus for gripping pipes, rods, or the like



Nov. 27, 1928.

M. B. DAVIS APPARATUS FOR GRIPPING PIPES, RODS, OR THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 50, 1926 3/ 30 ATTORNEY Nov. 27, 11928.

lVL-B. DAVIS APPARATUS FOR GRIPPING PIPES, RODS, OR THE LIKE Filed April 30, 1926 i an}: 1

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a/m,m

ATTORNEY New. 27, 11928.

M. B. DAVIS RODS, OR THE LIKE APPARATUS FOR GRIPPING PIPES Filed April 30, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNET STARS teaser rareur @FFHGE.

MARVIN B. DAVIS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE KRELL, OF SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA.

APPARATUS FOR GRIPPING PIPES, RODS, OR- THE LIKE.

Application filed April 30, 1926.

My invention relates to rod gripping apparatus and more particularly to apparatus of the character described for use in connection with rotary drilling apparatus.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a rotary turntable with means for supporting the drill stem, whereby much time and effort are saved in the operation of adding sections of drill stemor in removing the sections of the drill stem from the well. Said means preferably comprises gripping members that are adapted to grip the drill stem to prevent the same from dropping into the well, said gripping means being provided with actuating means whereby the aws thereof can be moved toward and away from each other to either grip or release the drill stem.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a new and improved turntable construction wherein the toothed member such as a ring gear by means of which the table is rotated, is detachably mounted thereon and is keyed in position so that the table and the gear will rotate together and wherein the master bushing or grief stem bushing is cletachably mounted in position on the rotary table so as to rotate with the ring gear and with the table, the bushing being removable by,an upward movement thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds. However, I desire to have it distinctly understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the exact details shown or described, but that I intend to include as part of my invention all such obvious changes and modifications of parts as would occur to a person skilled in the art and as would fall within the scope of the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved rotary turntable, showing the parts thereof separated.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the drillingapparatus, showing the grief stem in position in the turntable and the apparatus in condition for drilling.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the apparatus in condition for adding a section of 'drill stem.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken atright angles to Fig. 3, showing the actuating means for the drill stemgripping means, and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, showing the Serial No. 105,740.

parts in a position corresponding to Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings:

My improved rotary turntable is mounted upon a suitable support 10 having a track member 11 provided thereon in which the rollers 12 are mounted, said rollers being free to roll within the channel of the track member 11. Mounted upon said rollers 12 is a rotary table 13 which is generally conical and which has a base flange 14 provided with a channel 15 adapted to engage with the rollers 12. An upper flange portion 16 is also provided upon the rotary table 13, that is provided with a shoulder at 17 within which the reduced extension 18 of the hub portion 19 of the ring-like gear member 20 fits. The ring-like gear member 20 is provided with an annular series of bevelled teeth 21 thereon that engage with the bevel gear 22 which is driven from any suitable source of power through the shaft 23 and which shaft is mounted in the bearing bracket 24 provided on the support 10. The gear 20 is held in position by any suitable securing members such as the screws 25 extending through openings in the rotary member 13 and screwthreadedly engaging the ring gear 20.

The rotary table 13 is further provided with a plurality of pins 26 projecting upwardly from the upper face thereof that seat in grooves 27 in the ring gear 20, only a portion of the pins seating in the grooves, the remaining portion thereof projecting inwardly from the grooves and being received within the grooves 28 provided on the enlarged lower flange portion 29 of the master bushing or grief stem bushing 30 which is made in two halves secured together by the bolts 31 and which has an opening 32 therein corresponding in shape to the cross sectional shape of the grief stem, the opening 32 being preferably polygonal. The pins 26 thus key the bushing 30, the gear 20 and the rotary table 13 together so as to remove any strain from the fastening means 25 and to assure the rotation of these parts together. Also the bushing 30 is easily removable from the 'rotary table and the gear due to the fact that the same will be disengaged from the key members or pins 26 by a simple vertical upward movement thereof.

Mounted below the rotary table 13 and substantially concentric therewith is a cage-like member 33 which is provided with a plurality of outwardly-extending flanges 34 which are received within the channelled guide lugs or brackets 35 extending inwardly and downwardly from the table 13, the member 33 thus being guided for vertical movement relative to ,the table. Mounted within the cage member 33 are the jaws 36 that have the rearwardly extending ears 37 extending through the openings 38 in the cage 33. Bell crank levers 39 are pivoted to the rearwardly extending cars 37 of the jaws 36 on the pivot pins 40 and are further provided with outwardly extending pivot members 41 eccentric to the pivots 40. The outer ends of the bell crank levers 39 are connected with the rotary table 13 by means of the links 42 which are pivotally connected therewith by means of the pivot pins 43 and which are also pivotally connected with the table 13 by means of the pivot pins 44. Each of the jaws 36 carries a pair of gripping members or slips 45 having teeth 46 thereon for gripping the drill stem or any other tubular member as shown in Figs. 3

and 5, the drill stem being indicated thereon by thenumeral 47. The pivot members 41 are mounted in bearings in the cage member 33, said bearings comprising the detachable portions 48 whereby the jaw members 36 can be removed from the cage members 33 when desired.

Suitable supporting means for the cage member 33 is'provided comprising the lever 49 pivotally mounted upon the depending ear 50 extending downwardly from the supporting member 10, the lever 49 being bifurcated to provide the paired ears 51 at one end thereof that are further provided with paired ears 52, between which the rollers 53 are rotatably mounted, said rollers 53 being adapted to engage with the bottom edge of the jaw portion of the cage 33. The opposite end of the lever 49 is provided with a link 54 pivoted thereto and connecting the same with the piston rod 55 extending from a suitable piston within the.

cylinder 56 to which steam, compressed air or other fluid may be supplied through either the pipe 57 or the pipe 58 for raising or lowering the piston in a well known manner.

When drilling is being carried on the member 30, is in position, as shown inFig. 2,engaging with the grief stem 59 to rotate the same upon rotation'of the gear 20 by means of the shaft 23 through the gear 22. The piston in the cylinder 56 is at this time operated so as to raise the cage 33, which will raise the pivots 41 relative to the pivots 44, and due to the fact that these can not be moved apart horizontally, will cause the links 42 to swing inwardly, whereupon the jaws 45 are moved away from each other and out of engagement with the grief stem 59, the grief stem being sup ported in the usual manner by means of the hook 60 upon which the swivel 61 is mounted, to which mud-laden fluid is supplied through the flexible tubing or hose 62. When it is de sired to add a section of drill stem 47 to the same the hook 60 is moved upwardly so as to move the grief stem 59 upwardly through the bushing 30, the coupling 63 engaging with the bushing 30 as the grief stem is moved upwardly and carrying the same with it. A portion of the drill stem 47 which is, of course, circular, is then in alignment with the jaws 45 and the coupling 64 on the drill stem extends upwardly beyond the top of the gear 20 so that the same is accessible. The piston within the cylinder 56 is then operated so as to lower the rollers 53, lowering the cage 33, so that the cage is supported by the links 42 whereupon the links 42 will cause the bell crank levers to swing to such a position that the gripping members 46 mounted in the jaws 45 will engage with the drill stem 47 and will hold the same firmly in position, the weight of the drill stem 47 aiding in the holding thereof because of the tendency of such weight to swing the jaws 36 inwardly on the bell crank mounting including the pivot members 41 on the cage and the pivot members 40 on the jaws, the pivot members 40 and 41 being slightly off center with the pivot members 41 outwardly of the pivot members 40, when the parts are in this position. The grief stem 59 is then detached from the drill stem and removed, whereupon the elevator 65 is placed in position on the hook 60 and an additional length of tubing is moved into position and coupled to the drill stem 47, this additional length being indicated by the numeral 66 in Fig. 3. The elevator is then utilized to lower the length of tubing 66 as far as possible, the aws 45 being first released to the position shown in Fig. 2 by operation of the cylinder 56 to permit the downward travel of the drill stem 47. After the drill stem 47 has been lowered as far as possible, the slips 45 are again engaged with the drill stem in the manner previously described, to hold the same in position, the elevator 65 is detached from the upper section 66 of tubing on the drill 47 and the grief stem 59 is again coupled to the upper end of the drill stem, the bushing 30 being moved therein to proper position within the ring gear 20 and the swivel 61 being placed in position on the hook 60 whereupon the drilling operatlon may be resumed.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In well drilling apparatus, a table, a

plurality of jaws associated with said table having gripping means mounted therein, means for moving said jaws relatlve to satd table comprising a member embracing sald jaws through which said jaws extend and means for raising and lowering said member, and means connecting said table with said jaws, whereby said jaws move toward or away from each other as said aws are moved relative to the table.

2. In well drilling apparatus, a table, a

reeaeoa plurality of jaws associated with said table having gripping means mountcd therein, means for moving said jaws relative to said table, comprising a cage-like member embracing said jaws through which said jaws extend and means for raising and lowering said cage-like member, and means connecting said table with said jaws, whereby said jaws move toward or away from each other as said jaws are moved relative to the table.

3. In well drilling apparatus, a table, a

, plurality of jaws associated with said table,

having grippmg means mounted therein, means for moving said jaws relative to said table, comprising a member embracing said jaws through which said jaws extend, a lever engaging said member at one end thereof and means for a plying power at the other end thereof, an means connecting said table with said jaws, whereby said jaws move toward or away from each other as said jaws are moved relative to the table;

4. In well drilling apparatus, a table, a plurality of jaws associated with said table having gripping means mountedtherein, a vertically movable member, bell crank levers carried by said member and carrying said jaws, and links connecting said table with said jaws, whereby movement of said vertically movable member edects movement of said jaws either toward or away from each other. 5. In well drilling apparatus, a table, a

plurality of jaws associated with said table aving gripping means mounted therein, a vertically movable member, bell crank levers carried by said member and carrying said jaws, and means connecting said table with said jaws, whereby movement of said vertically movable member efiects movement of said jaws either toward or away from each other.

6. Inapparatus of the character described, a table member, a cage mounted for vertical movement within the table member, levers pivotall mounted on the cage, jaws pivotally moun on the levers on axes eccentric'to those mounting the levers on-the ,e, and

means connecting the levers with the table member, whereby the jaws are given radial movement incident to their longitudinal movement.

7. In apparatus of the character described, a table member, a cage mounted for vertical movement within the table member, levers pivotally mounted on the cage, jaws pivotally mounted on the levers on axes eccentric to those mounting the levers on the cage, means connecting the levers with the table member, whereby the jaws are given radial movement incident to their longitudinal movement, and means for edecting longitudinal movement of the cage. I

8. In apparatus of the character described, a table member having a central opening, a cage movable vertically in said opening, jaws carried by the cage, toggle connect-ion between the jaws and table member whereby the jaws are opened and closed incident to longi- "tudinal movement of the cage, and means for moving the cage.

9. In apparatus of the characterdescribed, a table member, having a central opening and guideways extending vertically within the opening, a cage having guides slidable in the guideways, jaws carried by' the cage, toggle connection between the jaws and table member whereby the jaws are opened and closed incident to longitudinal movement of the cage, and means for moving the cage.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a table member, having acentral opening, a vertically reciprocable supporting member, a cage in said opening and supported on said supportingmember, levers pivotally mounted in said cage, jaws pivotally mounted on said levers on axes eccentric to those of the cage mountings, and links pivotally connected with the levers and with the table member whereby the jaws are given openingand closing movement incident to vertical movement of the ea c. i

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

MARVIN a. DAVIS. 

